UNMIT Daily Media Review

Saturday 28 Oct + Monday 30 October 2006

National Media Reports
TP - Timor Post
DN - Diario Nacional
STL - Suara Timor Lorosae
RTTL - Radio e Televisao de Timor-Leste


Ministers Must Explain Absence Of Police

Francisco Guterres ‘Lu-Olo’ said the National Parliament will request Prime Minister Ramos-Horta and Minister of Interior, Alcino Barris, to respond to the continued absence of Police Posts in the neighbourhoods. Lu-Olo said the government had promised the establishment of these posts, which is not evolving, leading to loss of lives almost on a daily basis. The President of the Parliament said the people have asked for the reactivation of PNTL and F-FDTL because they do not trust the international forces. He further said the NP is not planning to ask for F-FDTL intervention. Therefore, the UN forces should be under one command.

A 50-year old man by the name of Antonio Morais has allegedly told the National Parliament that he and the two people that died in Pantai Kelapa, Dili, last Thursday night, were captured by the Australian police during the fighting between the youths of Aimutin and Comoro Market. Morais said they were taken in separate cars and while in the car he remembers the Australian military rubbing some kind of medicine smelling like petrol on his face which made him lose consciousness/ not allowing him to think clearly and he could not speak. He said the forces dropped him near the ocean, by Comoro riverbed. Morais continued to state that he woke up the next day (Friday) in shock but after sitting for a while realized what had happened and starting walking towards Comoro Pertamina. As he was nearing Pertamina he saw the mutilated bodies of his two colleagues. And he stated that he doesn’t know who killed them but he remembers the three were taken in separate cars by the Australian forces from Mercado market. (STL, TP)

Brigadier Taur Request Investigation Into Forces

F-FDTL Brigadier General, Taur Matan Ruak wants the government to establish an investigation into the behaviour of some Australian soldiers during the security operations in Dili in the past months. Ruak said he would not like to point out the mistakes and rather leave it to a commission of inquiry to release the results. He further said, soon he would send another proposal for consideration even though the government has not responded to his earlier proposal on the establishment of a commission to investigate the behaviour of Australian troops in Timor-Leste. He said the proposal is not to ask the Australian to leave the country but to help or improve their behaviour. The General said F-FDTL has been marginalized for committing errors therefore he doesn’t want the population to have bad feelings towards the Australian forces. He also said he is not happy that the security situation in Dili cannot be overcome with the presence of many UN police, turning Dili into a “Cowboy City”. And detaining those not involved in the violence. According to Timor Post, many people have expressed ill feeling towards the Australian forces. This daily gave an example of a youth who refused to give his name that he was detained by the Australian forces in front of his house late at night, taken and dropped in Caicoli. (TP, STL)

Nobel Laureates To Participate in Peace Discussions

Prime Minister Ramos-Horta has given his trust for the National Events Commission to organize the national program with the theme ‘Peace Gathering,’ scheduled to commence on November 12 and conclude on December 10. There will be many events such as ritual and traditional ceremonies at the district and national level. The program of 10 December would culminate in Tasi Tolu with the participation of representatives of all organizations and the government. Seven Nobel Laureates would also be invited to participate in the event. (TP)

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